Ankle wrapping system

ABSTRACT

A wrapping system for wrapping an injured joint, the joint having recessed areas and prominent areas. The system includes stackable resilient sections that are joined to one another by scored areas, the scored areas allowing seperation of each of the resilient section into sections adapted fit in the recessed areas. Each of the resilient section should have an adhesive portion for attaching, in a stacked manner, one resilient section to another resilient section, so that the resulting stacked resilient sections nest in the recessed areas of the injured joint. An elastic wrap strap is used to secure and urge the resilient sections over the injured joint.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of my application Ser. No.09/564,487, filed May 4, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,533,746, incorporatedin its entirety by reference, which claims the benefit of my provisionalapplication having Ser. No. 60/132,635, filed May 5, 1999, nowabandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention

This invention generally relates to a system for wrapping joints, suchas an ankle joint or a knee joint on a person's leg. More particularly,but not by way of limitation, to a system that uses an adjustable strapand stackable, adjustable, pressure generating sections, that are usedto provide pressure at selected areas under the wrap.

(b) Discussion of Known Art

Sprain type injuries to joint areas, such as ankle joints, knees,elbows, and the like are typically caused by the twisting orhyperextension of the muscles and tissues surrounding the joint. It iswell recognized that first aid treatment for these injuries includesproviding pressure to the injured joint area. It is particularlyimportant to provide pressure to areas that are likely to fill withblood from torn or injured tissue around the joint. This application ofpressure, however, has proven difficult to carry out effectively in thefield, since the irregular features or shape of these joints makes itdifficult to provide a wrap that provides increased pressure to recessedareas, which are likely to fill with blood, and less pressure toprominent, less irrigated areas, such as the prominent bones of themedial malleolus, or fibula and the tibia.

SUMMARY

It has been discovered that the problems left unanswered by known artcan be solved by providing an ankle wrapping system that includes:

A plurality of resilient sections, the sections having an adhesiveportion; and

An elastic wrapping strip, the wrapping strip having ends, each endhaving an adjustable securement mechanism for selectively securing thewrapping strip or strap over the injured joint.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the resilient sections arefoam rubber sections that have been scored at selected locations toallow the user to break away undesired portions of the resilientsection, and thus allow tailoring of the resilient section to match thephysical characteristics of the injured limb.

It is important to note that the disclosed sections can be stacked toensure prominence of desired areas of the resilient section. Theprominence of portions of the resilient section will ensure thatadditional pressure is imposed at these locations by the wrapping of theelastic strip, band or strap over the resilient section.

It should also be understood that while the above and other advantagesand results of the present invention will become apparent to thoseskilled in the art from the following detailed description andaccompanying drawings, showing the contemplated novel construction,combinations and elements as herein described, and more particularlydefined by the appended claims, it should be clearly understood thatchanges in the precise embodiments of the herein disclosed invention aremeant to be included within the scope of the claims, except insofar asthey may be precluded by the prior art.

DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of thepresent invention according to the best mode presently devised formaking and using the instant invention, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention used towrap an inured ankle area.

FIG. 2 is a view looking along the edge of the elastic band or strap,and illustrates that while a fixed loop may be incorporated at one end,it is also contemplated that both ends may include hook material thatcooperates with the strap or wrapping material to selectively connect oradjust the connection of the strap or band.

FIG. 3 is a top, plan view of an embodiment of the resilient sectionsused with the disclosed invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 illustrates the separation of the resilient section along thescored areas to create separate foam portions.

FIG. 6 illustrates placement of the resilient foam portions over theskin (the adhesive backed portion being against the skin) prior towrapping.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EXEMPLAR EMBODIMENTS

While the invention will be described and disclosed here in connectionwith certain preferred embodiments, the description is not intended tolimit the invention to the specific embodiments shown and describedhere, but rather the invention is intended to cover all alternativeembodiments and modifications that fall within the spirit and scope ofthe invention as defined by the claims included herein as well as anyequivalents of the disclosed and claimed invention.

Turning now to FIG. 1 of the enclosed drawings an ankle support system10 made in accordance with the principles taught herein has been shownwhile being administered on a person's leg and foot area. The anklesupport system 10 is particularly well suited as a first aid system intending ankle injuries such as a typical ankle sprain. Morespecifically, the disclosed system serves as a compression wrap whichcan be quickly and easily tailored to suit the injury being tended to inthe field.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be understood that the system 10includes an elastic wrap 12 which includes a strap shaped body 14 thatincludes a first end 16 and a second end 18. One of the ends, in theillustrated embodiment the first end 16 includes a loop 20 which hasbeen adapted for receiving a person's foot 22, the wrap 12 is of alength that permits wrapping of the wrap 12 around a person's ankle 23.In a highly preferred embodiment of the invention, the loop 20 is madefrom the same section of material as the body 14 of the elastic wrap 12.However, it is important to note that it is contemplated that the loopmay be fabricated from a separate section of elastic or non-elasticmaterial. Additionally, as shown on FIG. 2, the second end 18 of thebody 14 will include a section of adhesive or connector material, whichin a preferred embodiment is a section of hook material 21. According toa highly preferred embodiment of the invention, the body 14 will be madeof an elastic filament filled fabric made with filaments that willcooperate with the hook material 21 to allow the user to wrap and setthe wrap 12 around the injured person's ankle.

Also shown on FIG. 1 is that the system 10 also includes a set ofgenerally rounded, but preferably oval resilient pads 24 having anaperture 25. In a highly preferred embodiment of the invention theresilient pads 24 will be made from a foam rubber composition which willinclude an adhesive surface 26. Preferably, the adhesive surface 26 willinclude a peel away cover 28 that will allow the resilient pads 24, orsections thereof, to adhere to one another or to adhere to the person'sskin as desired.

Turning now to FIGS. 2-4 it will be understood that the disclosed pads24 will preferably include scored areas 30 that will allow the user tobreak the pads 24 into sections 32. These sections 32 will allow theuser to form a stack of pad sections that will include thick sections,formed from several sections 32 stacked together, and thinner sectionswith few stacked sections 32 of pad 24. This variation in the thicknessof the stack of sections is particularly useful in providing the preciseneeded pressure to the areas of the ankle which are prone to filling andswelling due to bleeding and edema around the injured ankle. It has beendiscovered that this tailored pad allows the user to provide an evendistribution of pressure from the wrap 12 to the injured area of theankle. The uniform distribution of the pressure prevent the fluids thatare causing the swelling from migrating to an area with little orreduced pressure as compared to the other areas under the wrap 12.

Turning now to FIGS. 5 and 6 it will be understood that the stacking andadjustments to the overall thickness of the stack up will beaccomplished by breaking off sections of the foam pads 24 along thescored area 30 and adhering the sections to one another. The finishedstack would then generally conform to the anatomical contours of theinjured ankle. By filling the recesses and following the contours withthe foam of the resilient pads 24 one provides an even, raised areawhich can then be covered by the wrap 12 to provide even pressure overthe injured section of the foot.

Additionally, it will be understood that the disclosed invention willserve as an exercise device to exercise the muscles of the ankle andfoot. To use the invention as an exercise device, a user would simplyinsert his foot into the loop 20, while holding the length of theelastic body 14 fixed relative to the foot. Then, the user would flexhis foot to impart resistance against the foot by stretching the elasticbody 14 as the user flexes his foot.

Thus it can be appreciated that the above described embodiments areillustrative of just a few of the numerous variations of arrangements ofthe disclosed elements used to carry out the disclosed invention.Moreover, while the invention has been particularly shown, described andillustrated in detail with reference to preferred embodiments andmodifications thereof, it should be understood that the foregoing andother modifications are exemplary only, and that equivalent changes inform and detail may be made without departing from the true spirit andscope of the invention as claimed, except as precluded by the prior art.

What is claimed is:
 1. A wrapping system for wrapping an injured joint,the joint having recessed areas and prominent areas, the systemcomprising: a plurality of stackable resilient sections that are joinedto one another by scored areas, the scored areas allowing separation ofeach of the resilient section into sections adapted fit in the recessedareas, each of the resilient sections having an adhesive portion forattaching, in a stacked manner, one resilient section to anotherresilient section, so that the resulting stacked resilient sections nestin the recessed areas of the injured joint; and an elastic wrap strap,the wrap strap having ends, the elastic wrap strap securing theresilient sections over the injured joint.
 2. A wrapping systemaccording to claim 1 wherein the stackable resilient sections joined toone another by scored areas are generally oval.
 3. A method for treatingan injured joint by filling and accommodating contoured or recessedareas of a joint to match the physical characteristics of the joint withthe use of a section of elastic material such as an elastic wrap strap,the method comprising: providing a resilient pad having an adhesivesurface covered with a peel-away cover that conceals the adhesivesurface until ready for use, the resilient pad further having aplurality of scored areas for selectively separating the pad into aplurality of resilient sections, each of the resilient sections havingan adhesive portion; filling the contoured areas of the joint byseparating the least one of the resilient sections and positioning theresilient section over the contoured or recessed area of the injuredjoint; and urging the resilient section against the contoured areas withthe elastic wrap, so that the elastic wrap provides substantiallyuniform pressure to recessed and contoured areas of the joint.
 4. Amethod according to claim 3, wherein the resilient pad is generally ovaland the resilient sections are scored in a generally radial manner toallow separation of the resilient sections for selective stacking ofparts of the resilient sections on top of one another.
 5. A methodaccording to claim 4 wherein the resilient pad is generally O-shaped.